1,289 discussions, 9,527 archived comments; pages no longer carry the comments themselves. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com> Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01YDRjtmAiNpo5mK5N3d7QwZ
312 lines
13 KiB
Markdown
312 lines
13 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Tandy Radio Shack TRS 80 MODEL 4
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categories:
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- Computers
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types:
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- Professional Computer
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origins:
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- U.S.A.
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years:
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- '1983'
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cpus:
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- Zilog Z80
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params:
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name: TRS 80 MODEL 4
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image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_model4_running_s1.jpg
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company: /companies/tandy-radio-shack
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company_name: Tandy Radio Shack
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specs:
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- label: NAME
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value: TRS 80 MODEL 4
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- label: MANUFACTURER
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value: Tandy Radio Shack
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- label: TYPE
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value: Professional Computer
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- label: ORIGIN
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value: U.S.A.
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- label: YEAR
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value: '1983'
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- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
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value: None
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- label: KEYBOARD
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value: Typewriter style 83 keys with numeric keypad
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- label: CPU
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value: Zilog Z80
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- label: SPEED
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value: 4 MHz
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- label: RAM
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value: 64 KB (up to 128 KB)
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- label: ROM
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value: 14 KB
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- label: TEXT MODES
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value: 64 x 16 / 32 x 16 / 64 x 40 / 80 x 24
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- label: GRAPHIC MODES
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value: None
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- label: COLORS
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value: Monochrome green phosphore
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- label: SOUND
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value: Built-in speaker
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- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
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value: 47.5 (W) x 52 (D) x 31 (H) cm
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- label: I/O PORTS
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value: Tape (500 or 1500 bauds), Centronics, I/O ports compatible with Model III, Serial (4D)
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- label: BUILT IN MEDIA
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value: One or Two 5.25'' disk-drives
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- label: OS
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value: TRSDOS 6.0 or 1.3, LDOS, CP/M
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- label: POWER SUPPLY
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value: Built-in power supply unit
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- label: PRICE
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value: |-
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From $1990. In later years the price came down to about $1000\
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By 1990 the Model 4D was being closed out at $599
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tabs:
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- photos
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- adverts
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- hardware
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- emulators
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- links
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forum_thread: 254
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photos:
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- title: FIRST VERSION
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subtitle: ''
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text: Two Model 4 versions were released. One can recognize them at the surface from the different arrangement of the arrow keys.
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image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_model4_system_s1.jpg
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- title: SECOND VERSION
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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The second version had an improved gate-array mainboard and a new location for the serial port.\
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The arrow keys are now clustered to the right of the keyboard.\
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This version features a second 3.5" DS DD 720 KB floppy drive (Tandy option).
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image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_model4_systemus_s1.jpg
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- title: MODEL 4 PLATE
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_model4_plate_s1.jpg
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- title: BOTH KEYBOARD VERSIONS
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_model4_keyboards_s1.jpg
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- title: KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP
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subtitle: ''
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text: The red button is the Reset switch
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image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_model4_keybcloseup_s1.jpg
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- title: SIDE VIEW
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_model4_sideview_s1.jpg
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- title: TOP VIEW
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_model4_topview_s1.jpg
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- title: FRONT PANEL
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subtitle: ''
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text: Both FDD drives were Tandon Single-sided, single density models.
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image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_model4_fdds_s1.jpg
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- title: BOTTOM SIDE
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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**(1)** Parallel printer connector\
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**(2)** Serial connector\
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**(3)** Expansion port connector\
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**(4)** Video adjustment\
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**(5)** Tape recorder DIN socket
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image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_model4_bottomview_s1.jpg
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- title: 'INSIDE #1'
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subtitle: ''
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text: The mainboard is mounted vertically at the back.
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image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_model4_inside_s1.jpg
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- title: 'INSIDE #2'
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subtitle: ''
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text: The top cover holds the CRT and its electronics. A fan has been added on top of the CRT.
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image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_model4_topcover_s1.jpg
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- title: MAINBOARD, 1ST VERSION
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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The fist mainboard version used only standard chips. It had 64 KB of RAM. Provision was made for a second 64 KB RAM bank.\
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The separate floppy-disk controller card was located behind the mainboard as well as a smal sound generator circuit.
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image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_model4_mainboard_s2.jpg
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- title: MAINBOARD, 2ND VERSION
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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The second "gate array" version included the floppy-disk controller, the sound generator and buzzer and a second serial port.
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**(1)** Power connector\
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**(2)** Video connector\
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**(3)** Tape recorder connector\
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**(4)** 128 KB RAM chips (16x4164 equivalents)\
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**(5)** WDC1865 UART, serial port controller\
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**(6)** WD1773 floppy-disk controller\
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**(7)** BIOS ROMs\
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**(8)** Z80 CPU socket. In this machine, the CPU chip was replaced by a RAM expansion piggy-back card
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Other chips were custom made for Tandy and had unknown part numbers.
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image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_model4_mainboard_s1.jpg
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- title: RAM CARD
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subtitle: ''
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text: This RAM card is inserted on the Z80 CPU socket and provides up to 1 MB of extra RAM (2 x 512 KB DIP modules) used as a virtual floppy-disk drive.
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image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_model4_ramcard_s1.jpg
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adverts:
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- title: US ADVERT, NOV. 1985
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/pubs/tandy_model4d_pub_s1.jpg
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hardware:
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- title: REMOTE UNIT ACTIVE
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subtitle: Serial# 26-1210
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text: |-
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This rare unit is meant for teachers to control up to 16 TRS-80 Model 1 from a another TRS-80 equiped with min-disk. All the controled TRS-80 model 1 must be equiped with Level II.
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It cost 2895fr (France, 1981)
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image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_trs80-m1_remote-unit-active.jpg
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- title: NETWORK II BOX
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subtitle: p/n 26-1211
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text: |-
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This box allowed up to 16 TRS computer to be networked. Three network boxes were released by Tandy (I, II and III).\
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The Network II required verbal communication between the server operator and the remote user, and data transfer had to be completed one user at a time.\
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The network III allowed automated control of the network so that users could easily access programs and data stored on the server's storage device.
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Thanks to **David Sutherland** for the pictures.
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image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_network2_s1.jpg
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- title: DMP-200
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subtitle: ''
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text: 80-column, 100 cps dot matrix printer.
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image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_model3_dmp200_s1.jpg
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- title: DAISY WHEEL PRINTER II
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subtitle: Serial# 26-1158
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text: |-
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This is a high-quality printer meant to be used with wordprocessors. Some interchangeable daisy-wheels were available (Courrier, Elite, Madeleine). It could print 163 characters per line (34cm), at a 43 cps rate.
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It cost 9595fr (France, 1981)
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image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_trs80-m1_daisy-wheel-printer-2_1.jpg
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- title: LINE PRINTER I
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subtitle: Ref# 26-7017
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text: |-
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This printer was a custom version of the Oki Microline 80.\
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Printed lower and upper case on paper rolls or listing paper (24cm wide) from 40 to 80 columns/line, at a speed rate of 28 lines/minute.
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It cost 716 Euros in 1981 (France).
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image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_model1_lineprinter1_s1.jpg
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- title: LINE PRINTER III
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subtitle: Serial# 26-1156
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text: This printer can print lower and upper case, at a speed rate of 120 c/s, on paper up to 38cm wide. It is conceived for intensive use ! It cost 9950fr in 1981 (France).
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image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_trs80-m1_line-printer-3_1.jpg
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- title: LINE PRINTER VI
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subtitle: Serial# 26-1166
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text: |-
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This large printer can print lower and upper case, graphic characters and symbols at a speed rate of 100 c/s ! This is definately a professional printer.
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It cost 5495fr in 1981 (France).
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image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_trs80-m1_line-printer-6_1.jpg
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- title: TP-10 THERMAL PRINTER
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subtitle: Box
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_trs80_tp-10_thermal-printer_box.jpg
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- title: EXATRON
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subtitle: Stringy Floppy drive
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text: |-
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The Exatron Stringy Floppy (ESF) was a low-cost data—storage system that fitted the gap, between cassettes and disk drives.\
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The system was based on a miniature endless—loop tape cartridge called a "wafer".\
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The amount of data that could be recorded on a wafer depended on the length of tape in it, typically, a 50—foot wafer could hold at least 40 KB of programs or data.
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**Matt** reports to us:\
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A curiousity about the model 1, CPU SPEED had a direct relatonship with STORAGE CAPACITY. if you doubled the clock speed of your MODEL 1 CPU you doubled the amount of data you could store on your stringy floppies. this is a feat that no other computer no matter how many ghz you have in your PC can do today without using compression.
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Thanks to **David Sutherland** for the pictures
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image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_model3_exatronwafer_s1.jpg
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emulators:
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- title: David Keil's TRS-80 Model III/4/4P Emulator Page
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url: http://discover-net.net/~dmkeil/trs80/model4.htm
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platform: MS DOS
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text: This program emulates a complete TRS-80
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- title: Matthew Reed's TRS-80 Emulator Web Site
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url: http://www.arrowweb.com/mkr/
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platform: MS DOS
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text: This page offers shareware versions of a TRS-80 Model 4 emulator and a TRS-80 Model 1-2 emulator
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- title: TRS-80 Model III/4 Emulator
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url: http://www.vavasour.ca/jeff/trs80.html#model4
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platform: MS DOS
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text: This TRS-80 Model III/4 Emulator is a commercial product
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- title: Model 4 Emulator
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url: http://www.arrowweb.com/mkr/
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platform: Windows
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text: ''
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- title: XTRS for Unix / X
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url: http://www.research.digital.com/SRC/personal/Tim_Mann/trs80.html
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platform: Unix / Linux
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text: ''
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- title: 'xtrs: TRS-80 Model I/III/4 Emulator for Unix'
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url: http://www.tim-mann.org/xtrs.html
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platform: Unix / Linux
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text: xtrs is a Radio Shack TRS-80 Model I/III/4/4P emulator for Unix and the X Window System
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- title: TRS-80 Level I BASIC in a browser
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url: http://www.vavasour.ca/jeff/trs80.html#simulator
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platform: Other platform
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text: With this Java emulator, you'll be able to write a BASIC program directly in your browser!
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- title: Ira Goldklang's TRS-80 Revived Pages
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url: http://www.trs-80.com/trs80-e.htm
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platform: Multiplatform
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text: A complete list of TRS-80 emulators for various platforms !
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- title: MESS
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url: http://www.mess.org
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platform: Multiplatform
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text: MESS emulator also emulates a TRS-80 systems
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links:
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- title: 8bit-micro.com - Online TRS-80 Computer Magazine
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url: HTTP://WWW.8BIT-MICRO.COM
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text: Online Magazine dedicated to the TRS-80 and other Vintage - Monthly Issues
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- title: David's TRS-80 Page
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url: http://freespace.virgin.net/david.sampson/
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text: ''
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- title: Ira Goldklang's TRS-80 Revived Pages
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url: http://www.trs-80.com/
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text: Lof of infos about all TRS-80 computers
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- title: Java TRS-80 Model 1 BASIC Interpreter
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url: http://ganley.org/software/trs80.html
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text: ''
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- title: Mike's Personal Computer Museum
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url: http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/mclays/trsmod1.html
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text: Level 1 & 2 Basic summaries, Tandy time-lines, price-list, etc ... !
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- title: RadioShackCatalogs.com
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url: http://www.RadioShackCatalogs.com
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text: Here, you can actually/virtually flip-through the pages to view the content of every RadioShack catalog!
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- title: The TRS-80 Home Page
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url: http://www.kjsl.com/trs80
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text: Full of infos
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- title: Tim Mann's TRS-80 Page
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url: http://www.tim-mann.org/trs80.html
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text: Infos, tools and home of xtrs, a Model I/III/4 emulator for Unix
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- title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA
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url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com
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text: Discussion about Tandy computers
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related:
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- /museum/radionic-model-r1001
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- /museum/sysdata-eletronica-jr
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- /museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-12
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- /museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-16
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- /museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-4p
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- /museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-i
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- /museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-ii
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- /museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-iii
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oc_id: 244
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source:
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url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230608082555/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=244
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date: '2023-06-08'
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---
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The TRS-80 model 4 (ref 26-1068/69) was one of the last models of the TRS-80 series (and perhaps the less known). It ran at 4 MHz and displayed 80 columns x 24 lines in Model 4 mode, but was fully compatible with the [TRS-80 model 3](/museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-iii/) and in Model 3 mode actually displayed 64x16 and ran at the Model 3's 2 MHz.
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It had 64 or 128 KB RAM, the 64 upper KB being used as a ram disk. It had one or two 5.25" floppy disk (184 KB each) and ran under TRSDOS 6.0 or 1.3, LDOS or CP/M.
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A transformation kit "TRS80 model III -> model IV" was available.
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The Model 4 was followed by the **Model 4D** (ref. 26-1070). The only difference being double sided drives -384 KB, instead of single sided drives.
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A portable version of the Model IV called [Model 4P](/museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-4p/) (ref. 26-1080) was also marketed few time after.
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**Dwight Briney** specifies:\
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A graphics adapter was also available for the Radio Shack TRS-80 Model IV in 1983. It came with a graphics programming language (BASICG). I used BASICG to program a basketball shot chart program that was used for a few seasons until I finally converted it to the IBM compatible Hercules graphics adaptor that had higher resolution.\
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It all seems pretty primitive now, but it worked great at the time.
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